BIA changes their lot

BIA changes their lot
BENGALURU


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Till the other day, 27-year-old Suresh was growing ragi on his father’s two acre plot at Bhuvanahalli in his shorts (patapati).

That is an old story. The shorts have given way to smart trousers for this graduate.

Today, he manages the parking lot at the Bengaluru International Airport.

“Of the seven acres of land that we held, we sold five to the government for the airport. We refused to sell all the seven acres and kept two because our village was 10 km away from the airport.

So I continued to cultivate ragi till I got this job,’’ he said.

Like Suresh, there are several youngsters whose lives changed totally after the airport project was conceived by the state government.

Take the case of 22-yearold-Yashodamma who never stepped out of her house but is now working as an attendant at the parking airport.

“Girls in my village are not supposed to step out of their homes. Even the women who would work as labourers and maids were those above 35. But all that changed once we got jobs here,’’ said Yashodamma who earns Rs 4,500 per month. While some of them have been given jobs on a contract basis at the central parking area, some boys and girls from nearby villages have landed jobs as housekeepers and loaders.